Formerly known as East India the perfume is back with the new name: Vi et Armis (Latin for 'by force and arms', the motto of the East India company)
The olfactory references in the perfume are exploring Britain’s complex relationship with other nations and its dominance of international sea trade across the centuries, this heady, narcotic scent challenges as much as it beguiles.
Using imported and exported goods of the East India Company as its key notes, this addictive fragrance recalls the words of George Bernard Shaw: “Emotional excitement reaches men through Tea, Tobacco, Opium, Whisky and religion”
Paradoxical and challenging, we imagine the roots of our island nation steeped in contradictions.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a scent for close, charged spaces where smoke, tea and spice can hang in the air: a room with low light, worn wood and a conversation that runs deep rather than loud. It projects a stern, magnetic presence that feels more like a force than an accessory.
How to wear
Best in cool weather or evening air, Vi et Armis wears with a strong, smoky diffusion and substantial longevity. Apply sparingly at first; one to two sprays are enough to let the birch tar, incense and tobacco unfold without overwhelming the room.
Who it’s for
For lovers of dark, smoky compositions with a boozy, resinous edge, especially those drawn to tea, incense, tar, oud and tobacco. It suits a taste for challenging, theatrical fragrances with a rugged, unisex lean.
Release year
2015
The nose
Julie Marlowe
Collaborators
Leo Crabtree, Beaufort London’s founder and creative director, shaped the concept and historical brief, steering the fragrance toward Britain’s sea-trade contradictions and its cargoes of tea, opium, tobacco and whisky while Julie Marlowe translated that vision into scent.
Beaufort’s story
Beaufort London builds uncompromising unisex fragrances around British history, maritime power and the rough beauty of smoke, spice and weathered materials. The house favours high concentration, dramatic contrasts and a deliberately provocative, story-led style.
Vi et Armis’s concept
Originally released as East India, the fragrance was renamed Vi et Armis, Latin for “by force and arms,” a reference to the East India Company’s motto. It belongs to Beaufort’s debut Come Hell or High Water collection and was conceived as an olfactory study of Britain’s imperial trade routes, where luxury goods and darker cargoes collided.
Extra info
Vi et Armis was first known as East India before taking its Latin title, which means “by force and arms.” It is part of Beaufort’s debut collection, Come Hell or High Water, and is often described by the brand and reviewers as “chaos in a bottle.”
Formerly known as East India the perfume is back with the new name: Vi et Armis (Latin for 'by force and arms', the motto of the East India company)
The olfactory references in the perfume are exploring Britain’s complex relationship with other nations and its dominance of international sea trade across the centuries, this heady, narcotic scent challenges as much as it beguiles.
Using imported and exported goods of the East India Company as its key notes, this addictive fragrance recalls the words of George Bernard Shaw: “Emotional excitement reaches men through Tea, Tobacco, Opium, Whisky and religion”
Paradoxical and challenging, we imagine the roots of our island nation steeped in contradictions.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
This is a scent for close, charged spaces where smoke, tea and spice can hang in the air: a room with low light, worn wood and a conversation that runs deep rather than loud. It projects a stern, magnetic presence that feels more like a force than an accessory.
How to wear
Best in cool weather or evening air, Vi et Armis wears with a strong, smoky diffusion and substantial longevity. Apply sparingly at first; one to two sprays are enough to let the birch tar, incense and tobacco unfold without overwhelming the room.
Who it’s for
For lovers of dark, smoky compositions with a boozy, resinous edge, especially those drawn to tea, incense, tar, oud and tobacco. It suits a taste for challenging, theatrical fragrances with a rugged, unisex lean.
Release year
2015
The nose
Julie Marlowe
Collaborators
Leo Crabtree, Beaufort London’s founder and creative director, shaped the concept and historical brief, steering the fragrance toward Britain’s sea-trade contradictions and its cargoes of tea, opium, tobacco and whisky while Julie Marlowe translated that vision into scent.
Beaufort’s story
Beaufort London builds uncompromising unisex fragrances around British history, maritime power and the rough beauty of smoke, spice and weathered materials. The house favours high concentration, dramatic contrasts and a deliberately provocative, story-led style.
Vi et Armis’s concept
Originally released as East India, the fragrance was renamed Vi et Armis, Latin for “by force and arms,” a reference to the East India Company’s motto. It belongs to Beaufort’s debut Come Hell or High Water collection and was conceived as an olfactory study of Britain’s imperial trade routes, where luxury goods and darker cargoes collided.
Extra info
Vi et Armis was first known as East India before taking its Latin title, which means “by force and arms.” It is part of Beaufort’s debut collection, Come Hell or High Water, and is often described by the brand and reviewers as “chaos in a bottle.”